Herniated Disc - What Now? Part 2
As we discussed on Monday, a herniated disc can be a real pain in your….back. What did you think I was going to say?
And because a herniated disc can be extremely painful and put you off track of your daily activities, many people with this condition find themselves in a slump on the couch with their favorite “happy meal.”
Here is a news flash: being sedentary with a herniated disc is the fastest way to worsening your condition and bloating your belly. What you should be doing is working with your doctor or physical therapist on ways to strengthen your back and stabilize your core.
By strengthening you back, you are reducing risk of re-injury and disability. And because muscles surround your spine, when you strengthen them, you are ultimately releasing the pressure off of your herniated disc and allowing it to recover faster and stronger.
While you spend time strengthening your back, it is equally - if not more - important to stabilize your core. Every move you make, your core is activated. It aids us in breathing, bike riding and bathing. Get my point? Our core holds us steady and balanced, moving us the way our brain tells it to. It keeps our spine strong, stable and keeps our posture in line.
When you keep your core strong, you are also limiting your chances of injury, such as a herniated disc. But, if you already have a herniated disc, it is never too late to get your core in check to prevent re-injury and aide in your recovery.
To strengthen your trunk, keep in mind that quality is more important than quantity. This means that doing 1,000 crunches without breathing will hurt you more than help you. In order to breathe normally during exercise, try breathing through your diaphragm. To know if you are doing this correctly, try lying on your back with your hands over your stomach. When you breathe, your hands should lift. Try to continue this breathing method throughout your workout. Feeling short of breath or just plain tortured while trying to contract your core muscles has absolutely no benefits for either your core or your spine. Only do exercises that allow you breathe normally throughout the entire routine.
We value and respect the experiences of all of our HERWriters, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.
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Thank you so much for this post and the one previous to it. I am 20, and have had a herniated & torn disc for... well it will be 4 years tomorrow, monday the 19th. I have seen tons of doctors and have learned a lot, but your post helped me learn more about my situation!
I have known the best thing is breathing exercises, and I have had such trouble even being motivated to do it, even though I know I could do it right now while I'm typing. I'm going to try a lot harder, but it is difficult to keep up the positive attitude and motivation when you're so young and have already had this so long. Every doctor I've been to hasn't been able to help me, the only option I have been given is either spinal fusion or continuing medication. And even though I've been on medicine for so long already, and hate that I have to continue to take it because I know how bad it is for my body, I need it to even be able to get out of bed let alone continue with a somewhat normal day. Spinal fusion is scary for me, especially at my age, I have been told by countless people that I should not do this, at least not yet.
If you have any other medical advice pertaining to this issue, it is much appreciated. I never knew a community like this existed online, I'm so glad I found it, I feel like it can really help me with my problems and there seems to be a lot of support here, which is so important in the getting better process for any situation.
April 17, 2010 - 10:27pmThis Comment